HC Deb 06 December 1991 vol 200 c262W
Mr. Kaufman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the contacts, diplomatic and social, the United Kingdom high commission in Cyprus has with the purported Turkish Cypriot breakaway entity in northern Cyprus; and what economic and other aid, including scholarships, is provided for that entity.

Mr. Garel-Jones

The British Government do not recognise the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". The British High Commission in Nicosia is accredited to the Government of the Republic of Cyprus.

Since the United Kingdom is a guarantor power, and as part of our active support for the United Nations Secretary-General's mission of good offices, the British High Commission maintains contact with the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot community.

In 1990–91 under the ODA's bilateral aid programme we provided £181,000 to the Turkish Cypriot community, which is channelled through the British Council in Nicosia or the Commonwealth scholarship programme. Similarly, under the EC association agreement the third financial protocol for 1989–93 provides 62 mecu for the whole of Cyprus.

Mr. Kaufman

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help he is providing to the Government of Cyprus in seeking to trace Cypriot citizens missing following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

Mr. Garel-Jones

The issue is being investigated by the United Nations committee on missing persons, which was established in 1981 to trace and account for all persons reported missing by each side. We fully support the work of this committee, which relies upon the full co-operation of both sides to the intercommunal dispute.